Friday 24 September 2010

Will zero-emissions black cab be a fare deal?

The prototype taxi runs on a simple, multi-functional fuel-cell hybrid engine, meaning it can run for a standard day's travel of 250 miles with just a five minute refuel. It has had a positive response from taxi drivers and will aim to be priced competitively to standard combustion engine cabs.

The taxi was designed by Intelligent Energy and the company's vice-president of business development David Hayter told ELN: "Ultimately, fuel-cell hybrids will phase in, conventional vehicles will go."

Loughborough-based Intelligent Energy, which also worked on the hydrogen-powered Suzuki Crosscage motorbike, has two of the cabs operating as prototypes but by 2012 is aiming to have a fleet of at least 20 on the roads in London, where there are an estimated 19,000 black cabs.